Binaries
by plazmah
Summary: A House & Star Wars crossover. After Cameron grudgingly accompanied Master Cuddy into Coruscant's underworld, a troubling symptom has begun to plague her. Takes place before Attack of the Clones.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Binaries  
Author: smitha-r  
Fandom(s): Star Wars & House  
Pairing(s): vague CuddyxHouse and CameronxChase  
Rating: PG  
Summary: Cameron grudgingly accompanies her master into Coruscant's underworld.  
Author's Notes: This fic takes place before the movie Attack of the Clones. Thanks to LilAni for the beta and ideas for the sequel. :D

-

Today was supposed to be one of the proudest days in her entire life, but all the pride and anticipation of becoming a newly appointed Jedi Knight had flown from Cameron's mind like a beldon on the Bespin winds. Instead, she was stuck prowling through the underbelly of Coruscant, revisiting a very specific bone of contention that always seemed to come between her and her master. But it was the same old story underneath it all; Cameron was disappointed and Cuddy was annoyed.

This particular sector, the Southern Underground, which was famous for all the wrong reasons. As usual, Cameron kept her senses focused, prepared for the slightest confrontation-

"Really, Cameron, there's no need to be so tense." Cuddy said in a familiar, irked tone. "We've been down here a thousand times before."

"I know. It doesn't matter." Cameron replied stubbornly, shoulder to shoulder with the older Jedi as they passed from street to street. "I still think it's wrong."

"The council and I may agree that you are a fully fledged Jedi but you have a lot to learn, Cameron. In time, you'll see that." Cuddy said, picking up her pace and walking faster through the crowds.

Cameron sighed and sped up as well, keeping herself a couple paces behind Cuddy. No matter how many times she asked the Force for guidance or clarity, there was a gaping chasm between Cameron and Cuddy when it came to their temperaments and views on how a Jedi ought to behave. Cuddy, on the surface, seemed a stickler for rules and tradition. She was forever preaching how the Jedi Code was there for a reason, that it was of the utmost importance if the Jedi Order was to run smoothly, if they were to uphold the balance and stabilize the Galactic Republic.

But if you scratched a little beneath the surface, as Cameron had over their long years together, it turned out that master Cuddy's personal philosophy was a little different.

In reality, Cuddy had no qualms about bending rules and convention if the ends justified the means. It was a trait that bothered Cameron deeply. After all, she knew right from wrong, in absolute certainty, and Cuddy's dalliance with moral shades of gray was a source of constant frustration and argument for the both of them.

"I remember being that naive." Cuddy shook her head. "How many times have I told you there's right and wrong are not always straight-forward?"

"A little courtesy goes a long way, master." Cameron shot back, despite the fact that she had done the same thing to Cuddy numerous times before.

"It's not my fault that you're broadcasting your thoughts across the entire galaxy."

Cameron turned aside from the conversation as the building came into sight. _The Soft Heart Cantina._ She unconsciously sought out the hilt of her lightsaber, hidden underneath her cloak.

Cuddy turned to Cameron just before they entered. "Remember, I make contact with the ringleader while you gather information from his aides and-"

"You don't have to remind me." Cameron said impatiently. "Let's just get this over with." She could have sworn she saw Cuddy smirk before she turned away and walked through the doorway. _A fine pair we make, arguing like teenaged sisters instead of being the dignified Jedi Knights everyone expects us to be._

The inside was as seedy as ever, maybe even more so since her last visit. The Southern Underground had fallen prey to mysterious stone mites over the past few months, kept only in check by duracrete slugs and the larger dianoga. As a result, most buildings in the sector were beginning to crumble at an alarming rate. And in a place such as this, home to intermittent blaster fights and vibroblade brawls, was at an even higher level of disrepair.

Cuddy moved slowly through the cantina, past crowded tables and gaming holos, and Cameron shadowed her every move. No one paid them much attention as they both masked their presence through the Force, and eventually they made their way to a lonely booth at the very back.

"And now we wait." Cuddy said, her voice barely audible. But Cameron heard her loud and clear, as if she were speaking in her head. Despite their differences and little fights, the bond between them was strong. Which worked very well to their advantage when they were out on missions together.

"If they don't show up in five minutes, we should leave." Cameron said to her master, barely whispering. But immediately after she spoke the words, two men approached their table. The one using a cane slid into a seat across from them while the blond-haired one kept standing.

"I told you last time that I didn't want any more interference." House growled. He was addressing the both of them but his eyes were on Cuddy. "Do you know how hard it is to run an operation like this without having gorgeous Jedi waltz into my den of iniquity?"

"Tough luck." Cuddy replied without batting an eyelash. "Thanks to the last twenty or so tips you gave me, thousands of lives have been saved. Helping innocent people caught in the crossfire is your duty."

"The only duties I have are to mentally berate my underlings and win every game of sabaac I'm challenged to."

Cameron mostly kept quiet as the two of them verbally sparred, sparing a quick glance at the man who stood at their table. _Chase, his aide. _Along with his communications agent, Thirteen, and his weapons expert, Foreman, House was at the core of a valuable (and borderline illegal) organization that worked on tracking down and stopping dangerous Separatist movements. Usually, he sold his information for a price. But somehow, Cuddy had discovered his existence several months ago and had been using him as a resource ever since.

Unfortunately, House was a difficult man to deal with. Cameron had asked Cuddy several times why she didn't simply use mind tricks to get the information they needed (she had, after all, done it many times before to different people in different situations) but Cuddy was adamant that they not use the Force with House.

_It would be dangerous if he were to become an enemy of the Jedi. We have to win his trust the old fashioned way. _

Cameron had to grudgingly admit Cuddy was right about treating someone like House carefully. There were a number of things about him that made Cameron uneasy. The biggest thing that bothered her about House, of course, was the fact that he and her master were clearly attracted to each other. Not surprising, of course; House was handsome in a rugged, haughty sort of way.

But Cameron had always had a gift for healing and empathy; she could tell that cybernetics would be a quick cure for his limp and durasteel cane. And yet, he remained as he was. What kind of man led a galaxy-wide illegal operation while remaining an easy target for anyone who found out he was siphoning information to the Jedi Council?

_A man who has no fear_, Cameron had concluded. _An unpredictable man._ And so she insisted on accompanying Cuddy, no matter how much she disapproved.

"You said last time would be the end. You lied." House stared at Cuddy like he was trying to look into her mind. It was disconcerting, and Cameron once again reached for her lightsaber, because-

"Well now, I am impressed, House." Cuddy sat back with an amused smile. "But even if you figured out you have some latent Force abilities, there's no way you could influence a fully trained Jedi."

"Damn, I should have known." House suddenly turned to Cameron. "Guess I'll just have to tap into the brain of our little padawan here instead."

"I'm a fully trained Jedi too." Cameron bristled, already brushing past this new development. _Well, I'll be one by the end of today._

"House, just agree to give them the information." Chase abruptly interrupted, eyeing Cameron like she would strike them down if he made any sudden movements. "It's the right thing to do."

"Since when do you care about the right thing to do?" House curiously asked before relaxing his shoulders slightly. "Fine. Chase, take little miss 'fully trained' down to see Foreman. Tell him she needs a copy of archive 1T5-7U9U5."

"And you?"

"I am going to hammer out an agreement with the most annoying Jedi in the galaxy." House said, looking at Cuddy with a challenge in his eyes. "So make it quick, before one of us has a weapon pointed at the other's head."

Cameron got up and followed Chase through the dingy, back halls of the cantina. She didn't like leaving her master alone with that man, even though she knew Cuddy was a powerful Jedi quite capable of dispatching whatever troubles came her way. But her tendency to follow riskier paths made Cameron irritated, but also... protective.

"He found out about the Force stuff a couple weeks ago." Chase said, trying to make conversation as they walked towards an old shelving unit that, unbeknownst to anyone who wasn't looking, could be moved aside to reveal a repulsor-lift.

"How?"

"House paid a surprise visit to his best friend on Corellia who's a dignitary of sorts. Very legitimate and righteous and all that. His friend was in the middle of a meeting with a couple of Jedi and when House stormed in unannounced, he caused one hell of a ruckus. In all the mayhem, one of the Jedi mentioned that House had some Force abilities."

Cameron considered this as they stepped into the lift. "Any idea who the Jedi were?"

"Yeah, the most popular Jedi in the galaxy." Chase replied.

"Ah. Kenobi and Skywalker." Cameron frowned. She and Skywalker were not exactly on agreeable terms, which was quite well known within the Jedi Temple. _It's just like him, to be proudly brazen and tell a criminal mastermind that he has Force abilities._ But Chase did not know her feelings on the young Jedi, so she kept quiet.

A moment later the doors of the repulsor lift opened, revealing the core of House's operation. The grey walls were pock-marked and grimy, the lights too far up on the high ceiling to clear away the shadows. She followed Chase as they turned right, towards the main communication center.

They neared a console with countless screens, where a man sat before them. "Our esteemed visitor needs a copy of archive 1T5-7U9U5, House's orders." Chase said.

"House says a lot of things." Foreman replied with a grumble, turning in his chair to give Cameron a curt nod. On the surface, it seemed as if Foreman hated working for House. But Cameron, with her empathetic nature, knew better. Despite the fact that he complained endlessly, Foreman had a great deal of respect for what House did, that he worked to take down the Separatist threat at any cost. Cameron could relate to Foreman, in a way. On the surface, it seemed as if she and Cuddy were forever in disagreement. But in reality, they were tied together by a bond so strong that Cameron couldn't fathom not having her in her life.

"Anyway, it'll take a while." Foreman continued, tapping at a few buttons distractedly. "That file is triple encrypted."

"How long will it take?" Cameron asked.

Foreman took a minute or so to enter some commands into the console. "I started the decryption. It will take about twenty minutes."

A strange look passed across Chase's face, one of sudden comprehension. "He knew the Jedi would want this file, so he triple encrypted it, meaning he could-"

"-Spend more time verbally sparring with Jedi Cuddy, yes." Foreman finished, shaking his head.

"So... what do you suggest I do in the meantime?" Cameron asked, feeling more at ease now than she had in the previous hour or so. Chase and Foreman were not only familiar to her, but struck her as kind, reliable individuals. She had no qualms with being alone in their presence. They were trust-worthy.

Chase spoke up, addressing Foreman. "What if I ask for her Jedi advice on... that thing we mentioned?"

Foreman raised an eyebrow at him. "What thing?"

"You know, the _thing_? We were talking about it two moons ago? About..." Chase sighed. "Nevermind."

Cameron suddenly felt intense emotional reactions from both Foreman and Chase. Foreman had finally understood what Chase had been talking about and was internally laughing at him. Chase, on the other hand, was deeply embarrassed. Because...

_Oh. That's... why didn't I notice it before?_

"You're an idiot." Foreman announced to Chase, realizing that Cameron knew exactly what was going on. "First of all, she's a Jedi and can therefore read our thoughts. Secondly, she's a _Jedi_. What in the world made you think she would-"

"Okay, I get it. Thanks for spelling it out for me. Again. Right in front of her." Chase said with a scowl, trying very hard to keep his pride intact.

"It's part of the Jedi Code." She explained kindly to Chase, using her presence in the Force to defuse the tension and awkwardness in the air. "We're not permitted to have the types of relationships regular people do. We dedicate ourselves to ideals, not others."

Chase was looking at her wistfully. "That's very selfless, almost cruel I'd say. I wouldn't be able to stick to a rule like that."

Cameron smiled ruefully. "Maybe. But it's a rule that hasn't failed the Order yet."

-

"What took you so long?" House complained with faux bitterness when Cameron and Chase returned, pointing to Cuddy. "She's been using her Jedi wiles to get me to say all sorts of things I don't mean. Like that I have a permanent obligation to inform her about our wheelings and dealings. And that she has prettier eyes than mine."

"Enough, House." Cameron said, fully fed up with his shenanigans. "The next time we see you, I hope that you have the good sense to stop playing games with us."

"Good sense is not his strong suit." Cuddy replied with a smirk, rising from her seat and fixing a mysterious look at House. "Remember what I told you. We will return in time."

"Lucky me." House used his cane to help himself stand and walked away with Chase, demanding that the younger man work with Thirteen to procure a lightsaber of his own. Chase nodded at Cameron one last time before they were out of sight.

"He's never going to change." Cameron sighed as they left the Soft Heart Cantina.

"I know." Cuddy said, a strange tone in her voice. _Fondness_? Cameron thought back to what she had told Chase about the rule that hadn't failed the Order. _**Yet**__. It hasn't failed the Order __**yet**__._

Cameron felt a cold chill in her bones and wondered if the Force was trying to tell her something.

-end-


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Binaries (2/3?)  
Author: plazmah  
Fandom(s): Star Wars/House  
Pairing(s): Cameron/Chase, eventual Cuddy/House  
Rating: R  
Summary: After Cameron grudgingly accompanied her master into Coruscant's underworld, a troubling symptom has begun to plague her.  
Author's Notes: A long, long time ago, in a galaxy really, really close to us, I abandoned a prompt I claimed in cuddy_fest because my Muse sucked huge amounts of suck. Thanks to GYWO, I took the fic in not quite the same direction as the prompt and came up with this. I rather like the result. This fic takes place before the movie Attack of the Clones. Thanks to Ani for the beta; I needed it. ;)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Cameron was making her way through the halls of the Jedi Temple, lost in her own thoughts, when a voice calling her name caught her attention. Turning towards the speaker, she saw Cuddy walking towards her and immediately went on alert. _What is she doing here? She's supposed to be on a diplomatic mission with the Thraciorian delegates._

"Distracted, Cameron?" Cuddy quipped, but there was concern underneath her casual demeanor. "I had to say your name three times before you heard me."

"I was... just... mentally planning a project for the Reassignment Council." Cameron scrambled for an explanation. "There are a lot of younglings and initiates to take care of and I told Master Ki-Adi-Mundi that I would be glad to help. What are you doing back so soon?"

"The mission went well, thank the Force." She said with relief. "I just spent the past hour or so debriefing with Master Windu."

"Sounds like it was an interesting experience. You should tell me about it later. Over a meal, my treat. I'll even get you some Citros snow cake."

Unfortunately, Cuddy didn't take the bait, instead crossing her arms with irritation. "You don't look well rested to me; you promised me you'd resolve this issue while I was gone, that I had no reason to worry about you."

"You don't." Cameron insisted. "I've got everything under control."

"The bags under your eyes say otherwise." Cuddy noted, at which point the two of them frowned at each other, stubborn and unwilling to concede to the other. Cameron stood firm, resolute in her conviction. _I don't need anyone else's help._

At last, Cuddy sighed and shook her head. "Allison, I know I'm not your master anymore, so you're free to do as you see fit, but my advice to you still stands: see Master Yoda. He's very in tune with the will of the Force, with the flow of past and future. He could give you answers if you're having troubling visions."

"They're _not _visions." Cameron said adamantly.

"How do you know?"

"I just do."

"You and your unwillingness to face doubt-"

"-It's not unwillingness. I just _know_. Give me credit for understanding my own mind and how the Force works."

Cuddy examined Cameron, then relented. "Very well, do what you feel is right. But the moment you think there may be something larger at play here, you let me know, understand?"

"Yes, Lisa." Cameron said, eager to let the subject drop.

"Good. So, you mentioned the Reassignment Council. Are you enjoying your position?" Cuddy asked.

"I am. Actually, I'm on my way to discuss some issues with the Jedi Service Corps." Cameron said, apologetic. "So if you don't mind..."

"Of course. We'll talk about your new duties later then. You can leave me a message at my quarters."

"I''ll do that." Cameron replied, bowing slightly and continuing through the Jedi Temple.

- - -

"Don't worry about it, Cameron. I'll take care of this."

Cameron eyed him, unsure. "How?"

Kutner looked up from the report and shrugged at her with a barely concealed grin. "I'll figure something out."

"You know, you're never going to gain more responsibilities within the Jedi Corps if you keep doing things like this."

"You mean by the seat of my pants?" Cameron opened her mouth to reply but Kutner kept talking. "Why would I want any more responsibilities? I'm exactly where I want to be, surrounded by the greatest Jedi masters in the galaxy. I get more responsibilities, they'll ship me out to Ord Mandell, digging through old ruins and creepy graves looking for crusty Jedi artifacts. No thanks."

Cameron could not help but smile. She had always known Jedi Kutner in passing, as they had come to Coruscant within a few years of each other. But it was only after becoming a Jedi Knight and working for the Reassignment Council that she really got to know him. The young man was legendary in the most unfortunate sense. There was nothing sinister about him, nothing that prepossessed him to fall to the dark side of the Force. To put it simply, his personality (no matter how many masters took time to instruct him) could not be molded into that of a respectable Jedi. He was flippant, unprofessional, and adored gratuitous lightsaber duels. _Anything_ to do with lightsabers, really.

Since no master had ever chosen him as an apprentice, he was in charge of organizing the various sections of the Jedi Corps, which meant they worked together quite frequently. And when he was not busy with that, he taught Padawans how to construct lightsabers; he had the meticulous task down to an art.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you." Kutner continued with seriousness. "After that meeting we had a couple days ago, Offee was totally checking out my hot bod."

_Right, he's a notorious flirt as well._ Cameron rolled her eyes half-heartedly. Despite his bad habits, she knew why he hadn't been sent away from the Jedi Temple for his behaviour. As long he was on the inside, out of the sights of important diplomats and government officials who would make a fuss or embarrass the Council, he had a heart of gold that was hard for any Jedi to ignore.

"What? I've totally got a hot bod." Kutner repeated when he noticed her lack of conviction. "So would you, if you didn't look like a Tyresian molebat."

"Like a... why do I look like a molebat?" Cameron asked with confusion.

"Those circles under the eyes, the pasty skin. You coming down with something?" Kutner asked curiously. "I could set up a session with someone on the MedCorps if you're-"

"No, I'm fine." Cameron cut him off with a forced smile. "Thanks for taking care of that report for me, Kutner." She bowed slightly and after he bowed back she took off without another word.

- - -

As she made her way through the hallways of the Jedi Temple, Cameron took solace in the fact that she had not been lying to Cuddy; she wasn't having nightmares. There was nothing traumatic or painful about the dreams she was having. But, from her perspective, they were troubling.

The fact of the matter was... ever since their last outing to the Southern Underground, Cameron couldn't stop thinking about Chase.

Returning to the Jedi Temple that day, after the Council had put her through the Trials and conferred upon her the title of Jedi Knight, she found herself replaying every little interaction she had ever shared with him, examining her memories from every angle, puzzling over how she had never realized he was attracted to her. Her strength was _empathy_, after all. It bothered her that his feelings had blind-sided her. He had eluded her keen observations somehow.

Soon after that day, the dreams started. She willed her subconscious into a state of calmness, into a sort of transcendent detachment, but no matter how hard she tried, he was in her thoughts throughout the day. And at night, she had dreams where she and Chase, well...

He _was _an attractive man, after all.

But distractions were dangerous to a Jedi, and Cameron knew this as well as any other Jedi. She was determined to leave overcome this stumbling block in her emotions. She would cast these stray thoughts aside and emerge even more dedicated and focused than before. She was certain of it.

- - -

The settings sometimes change but the situation always is the same. Always ends the same, at least.

This time, she's making her way through the empty hallways of the Jedi Temple. It's night and she can't hear anything except the sound of her feet against the cool floor. She's naked, except for the brocade she has wrapped around her body. She doesn't know where it came from or what its purpose is, but it's gorgeous azure and indigo, flecked with gold.

She walks through the abandoned passages until she reaches her room. Opening the door, she walks in and realizes that someone has left the light on. Because there's someone sitting on her bed, in a similar state of undress. The moment his eyes make contact with hers, it's like they're stuck in a tidal lock. He moves towards her as she drops the brocade to the floor and nothing in the entire universe can stop them. There's no need for words, or maybe there is, since she vaguely remembers someone said something about one of them being beautiful.

The very sight of him fills her with anticipation and the touch of his skin against hers brings a sigh of pleasure to her lips. His mouth is all over her, flying from her lips to her shoulder, down to the curve of her breast, lower still to her navel and hips, before returning to her lips. His cock throbs between them and things become much more frantic as he rocks against her, moaning into her mouth, desperate for some kind of release. Finally, he takes her from behind and she's reduced to a litany of entreaties. _More, yes, right there, like that, oh yes._ And then when they are spent, they do it all over again. She watches his face as she strokes him to the brink, his eyes hazy and lips parted in ecstasy...

... Cameron woke up, surprised to find her breathing calm and even, her skin cool to the touch. Like any other innocuous dream, it was merely a trick of the unconscious mind with no ties to reality. Except for the part that these dreams _were_ affecting her reality. And the fact that being attuned with the Force meant that dreams were more than just neurons firing without rhyme or reason. The images drifted through her mind and she felt her heart race.

_What I need right now is another distraction, to cancel this one out._ So she got out of bed and dressed, heading down to one of the training chambers to practice with her lightsaber.

- - -

It was dawn by the time she made her way to her favourite training room, the biggest one with the holographic sparring simulators. With a press of a button the doors hissed open and instead of the structured walls of the training chamber that she had expected to see, she was greeted by a sweltering desert. Meaning someone was already inside.

There was a sound to her left and she turned to see a padawan standing there with his back to her, clipping his lightsaber back to his belt.

"What are you doing up so early?" Skywalker asked, not bothering to look at Cameron.

"Training, of course." She replied coolly. It was customary for padawans to show deference to a fully trained Jedi Knight like Cameron, but Skywalker did no such thing. _Typical; no respect for those he perceives to be beneath him._

He turned around, rubbing at a grimy mark on his cheek and still not looking at her. "What do _you_ need to train for? It's not like you're going to take part in combat any time soon."

"I need to keep _all_ my skills at peak performance, now that I'm a Jedi Knight." A part of Cameron relished in rubbing that particular point in. Skywalker was forever pointing out that she was (in Kutner's words) 'a touchy-feely Jedi' rather than a fighter like himself. Before, when they were both padawans, it may have bothered her a bit, that her strengths in the Force were not equally distributed. But she knew how unique she was, with her exceptional skills in dealing with the emotions, feelings, and minds of all kinds of creatures.

And besides, being a Knight meant that the Council agreed that she was a strong Jedi. Who cared what petty games Skywalker tried to play with her ego?

Cameron continued, feeling slightly smug. "Aren't you going to congratulate me on my recent Knighthood?"

He finally looked at her, his face a mask of blank cheer while she felt his annoyance simmering beneath the surface. _He thinks __**he **__should be a Knight, not me. He thinks he's better than every single padawan and Knight here._

"Sure. Congratulations, _Alli_. I'm sure master Cuddy is glad that you're not tagging along with her any more."

"That's a very disrespectful thing to say, _Ani_." Cameron frowned, knowing with absolute certainty that despite their differences, her partnership with Cuddy _worked_, in a strange sort of way. Also, she _hated_ when he called her that, a throwback taunt from a fight they had gotten into as younglings.

At the sound of his nickname, she felt a strange mixture of annoyance and nostalgia from Skywalker, who brushed past her tiredly. "I apologize, Cameron. Good luck with your training."

- - -

"They're arguing again." Kenobi said, tilting his head slightly as if he were literally listening to their words through the Force.

"They're always arguing." Cuddy replied as they slowly meandered down the hallway, the rising sun casting a warm glow through the windows. "She can be difficult sometimes."

"As is Anakin, of course. But at least she argues with you because she cares. Besides, Cameron channels her emotions well, cooperative when she needs to be and decisive when the situation calls for it. She makes a good emissary and will be an excellent Jedi Consular in the future." Kenobi pointed out. "You should take her on your next mission. Anakin on the other hand-"

"-He's unlike anyone the Temple has ever seen, that's bound to cause a little friction." Cuddy countered. "The others are either intimidated by him or are competitive enough to challenge his skills."

Kenobi digested her words, thinking of the glint in Anakin's eye when he had a chance to exert his full potential, which happened quite often. "Mostly competitive, I would say."

"Don't worry, he has one of the most able Jedi Masters in the galaxy to teach him." Cuddy said, placing a kind hand on his shoulder. "He _will _bring balance to the Force."

- - -

"Okay kids, welcome to Lightsaber 101. Or as I like to call it, 'Pay Attention To Me Or You Might Be Sliced In Half' class."

Nervous laughs fluttered through the room and Cameron couldn't help but smile as she walked through the doorway. Kutner was in charge of the classroom, in his element, instructing a few younglings on the basics of lightsaber construction.

"Now, you won't actually be able to make your lightsaber, until you're a padawan and your master takes you to the ice caverns of Ilum. But that doesn't mean I can't give you guys a head start on how a lightsaber works." When he saw that Cameron was standing at the door, he levitated a handful of lightsabers in front of each youngling. "See if you can figure out how to take apart the practice sabers in front of you while I talk to Cameron."

"Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt your lesson." Cameron apologized. "Just wanted to let you know that I've set up the next ExplorCorp team heading to Mycroft. They received their assignments this afternoon."

"Awesome, that takes a wampa off my back. Thanks." Kutner smiled appreciatively.

"It's the least I could do after you took care of my last report." Cameron reiterated. "By the way, do you want to have our next meal together? I have a sudden craving for Bivoli tempari."

Kutner looked at Cameron strangely. "That's some heavy stuff."

"Well, I decided to increase my training regimen, so that might have something to do with it."

"Again? What's with all the hologram sparring and mediation lately?"

Cameron shrugged. "No reason. Just keeping my skills honed, that's all."

Kutner crossed his arms across his chest. "Okay, now? I'm _definitely _going to join you for dinner, just so I can figure out what's up with you."

- - -

The moment Cameron finished her story, Kutner looked her straight in the eye. "I've told you a bazillion times but you never listen; Skywalker's got the hots for you."

Cameron scoffed, sipping at her drink as Kutner scarfed down a mouthful of tempari. "Don't be ridiculous. I have been around him long enough to know that he doesn't harbour anything but annoyance towards me."

"I don't know, he's always so... awkward around you." Kutner narrowed his eyes at Cameron. "Wait, why were you up training at the crack of dawn exactly?"

"Hadn't practiced in a while. I needed it." Cameron replied with a shrug.

"Oh no, don't give me that act. It might work on Master Cuddy, but I'm way nosier than she is." Kutner sat back in his chair and crossed his arms across his chest, gazing at Cameron thoughtfully. "You're a light sleeper, so you try to get as much rest as you can during the night, meaning you wouldn't wake up early unless sleep was actually detrimental instead of relaxing." A smile grazed his features. "How am I doing so far?"

Cameron leaned forward with a resigned sigh. "Fine, I'll tell you what's been bothering me as of late, but you have to promise not to tell anyone. Deal?"

"Deal. What's up?"

"I'm having these... dreams."

"Regular dreams, or are they visions?" Kutner seemed like he was being flippant, but Cameron could sense his seriousness.

"I know they aren't visions because they don't seem to have any link to reality. They don't make much sense. The Jedi Temple is empty, the night lasts forever, and I'm..." She couldn't say the last word out loud. _Naked._

Kutner's voice dropped to a whisper. "You're not dead or dying in your dreams, are you?"

"No, nothing of the sort." Cameron toyed with her cup, letting the the images play through her mind, pushing vague emotions and feelings towards Kutner...

Sudden realization swept over Kutner as he picked up on her thoughts. "Wow. And I was under the impression that you were having _bad_ dreams." He looked at her with a cheeky grin. "Cameron, you sly gualaar, who's the lucky guy that's got you all hot and both-"

"Ssssh!" Cameron's eyes went wide, hoping no one in the busy restaurant had heard him. She and Kutner were dressed in their robes and had made no effort to hide the fact that they were Jedi. If the wrong person heard...

"Sorry." Kutner said, amused. "But you _have _to tell me who it is. Is it Skywalker?"

"What? No." Cameron shook her head. "Why do continue to come back to Skywalker?"

"I don't know, you guys are just so snappy around each other." Kutner shrugged. "I figured it was sexual tension."

Cameron gaped a little. "You know relationships are forbidden for Jedi. How can you entertain the notion that the two of us would even... no. It's not Skywalker. It's not a Jedi, for that matter."

"Really? Hmm." Kutner replied, intrigued. "Well, that makes this a lot harder for me to figure out, considering you've gone on countless diplomatic missions and have met individuals from all over the galaxy."

"It doesn't matter who it is, what matters is that my dreams have become a distraction." Cameron confessed, folding her hands together. "Jedi are supposed to keep their emotions in check. We're supposed to be focused and dedicated. But meditation isn't working for me and training is simply a distraction, not a solution."

"Have you told Master Cuddy about this?"

"Only that the dreams were disturbing my focus. She doesn't know what I have been dreaming about."

Kutner was quiet for a moment. "You already know what you have to do, don't you?"

"Yes." Cameron replied, trying not to think about the decision that lay ahead. "But I'm not sure I want to. Instead, I'm hoping that these dreams will fade away eventually and that I won't have to do it, that I can forget the entire matter and avoid confrontation altogether."

"It's your call, Cameron." Kutner said finally. "You're right when you say that relationships are forbidden for Jedi. It's hard, I know. We _all_ know. But only you can decide which path you have to take."

Cameron nodded. "Thank you, Kutner. I appreciate it."

"No problem. You're one of the most resilient people I know, Cameron. You'll be fine."

"I hope so." Cameron smiled slightly. "Resilient, huh?"

"Yeah." Kutner's grin returned. "You were always good at taking a beating in combat training."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - tbc - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Binaries (3/4?)  
Author: plazmah  
Fandom(s): Star Wars/House  
Pairing(s): Cameron/Chase, Cameron/Anakin, Cuddy/House  
Rating: R  
Summary: After Cameron grudgingly accompanied her master into Coruscant's underworld, a troubling symptom has begun to plague her.  
Author's Notes: A long, long time ago, in a galaxy really, really close to us, I abandoned a prompt I claimed in cuddy_fest because my Muse sucked huge amounts of suck. Thanks to GYWO, I took the fic in not quite the same direction as the prompt and came up with this. I rather like the result. This fic takes place before the movie Attack of the Clones. Thanks to Anita for being my beta and enabling my madness.

- -

The meditation rooms were dark and quiet but Cameron's mind still drifted away from the Force, lingering on forbidden images. These days it seemed as if her entire life consisted of heated dreams, frantic training, and organizing the Corps with Kutner. No matter what she did, she had no respite. It was starting to look like she would have to confront the problem head on, as Kutner had mentioned. Because there was no way she could continue this way, with Chase consuming her thoughts every night...

_He touches her again, tracing patterns with no meaning across her body, and she's gripped by an uncontrollable urge, like there is no need for her thoughts and reasons, she just __**is**__, at one with the galaxy and the galaxy demands that she shove this man against a wall and silence his touch with her tongue._

_So she does. Frantic, fevered, unaware of where he ends and she begins. Their hands grasp at each other, pulling and yearning, and there's nothing she wants more than to get her awfully stifling gown off. So he does. There is fire running through her veins instead of blood and she cries out as he touches her again and again. The Force is an ocean and she is a wave, rising higher and higher until she crashes on the rocks; the Force is the universe and she has moonlight in her eyes, stardust on her lips._

Cameron slowly opened her eyes, trembling slightly. She was slipping, her usually stubborn resolve crumbling. It was becoming intolerable, this compulsion that had gripped her subconscious. In that moment, she would have done almost anything, absolutely _anything_, to restore her concentration and focus.

_No, I can't think like that. I can't be afraid. Fear leads to the dark side._ She took a deep breath and exhaled, going through her exercises like Cuddy had taught her.

There was a soft whooshing sound behind her. Before she even had a chance to respond, whoever had entered the meditation room spoke.

"Oh, it's you. I didn't even sense your presence." Skywalker sounded honestly surprised for once.

"I'm masking it on purpose. Jedi Knights can do that sort of thing, you know."

Skywalker didn't respond to her comment but she could hear the irritation in his voice. "Why are you masking it to begin with?"

"I don't want anyone to find me, I need some time to myself. So if you don't mind, leave."

She could feel him bristle at her dismissive tone. "Who are you hiding from? Master Cuddy? Someone from the Council?"

"No. Besides, this is none of your business." Realizing that her serene state of mind had completely evaporated due to Skywalker's intrusion, she stood up and faced him with a frown on her lips.

"It's my business when you're biting my head off for no reason." Skywalker replied, folding his arms across his chest.

"I have a reason; you interrupted my meditation."

"A good Jedi wouldn't lose her patience after simply being interrupted."

The frown on her face grew deeper. "Are you insinuating what I think you're insinuating?"

And there it was, that annoying smugness that appeared whenever he knew he had hit the mark and riled her up. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Cameron. I'm just trying to be helpful."

Cameron marched right up to him, getting close to the final straw. "You know what, Skywalker? You're one to talk about being a good Jedi. You might have all the talent and skills in the galaxy, but the truth is that you're both difficult and arrogant. No wonder you're not a Knight yet."

"The fact that you became a Jedi Knight before me means nothing. The Council can take whatever decisions they want, I still know that I'm the better Jedi between the two of us." Skywalker countered, getting agitated. "If you want to go on and on about how you got knighted before I did, fine. But we both know the truth about who's more powerful. "

"It's not always about power." Cameron argued, her temper flaring. She tried to reign it in but her emotions were running at an all-time high thanks to her frayed nerves. The gates were wide open, her every thought and feeling an open book for anyone nearby to read. But that also meant that her empathy was at its highest; she could feel her emotions surging around her, as well as Skywalker's-

His eyes widened and she felt him panic and throw his barriers up. But it wasn't fast enough. She already knew. This wasn't just his regular petty self she was facing. There was much more at play.

Cameron assessed Skywalker coolly, feeling her emotions settle. "We have the same problem."

He looked at her warily. "What do you mean?"

She sighed and knelt down on the floor in her meditation pose. "Who is she?"

Skywalker started. "I... who is who?"

"The woman you can't stop thinking about. I know I've seen her somewhere, she looks familiar."

She could feel his fear, so much fear, and it was almost shocking to Cameron. She'd always thought of Skywalker as brazen, egotistical. But afraid? Never in a million years.

"It doesn't matter who she is. She's just a politician." Skywalker said rather flippantly and Cameron could tell he was covering sadness with disinterest.

She said her next words in an even tone. "She looks a little like me."

Skywalker made a face. "Not really. Not at all."

"A little. Admit it. She's human, isn't she?"

He didn't respond and stared down at her instead with a stony look, his mouth pressed into a tense line. She wouldn't get an admission out of him but his face and his roiling emotions told her enough.

Cameron looked down at the floor, reciting familiar words. "A Jedi's allegiance is to the Order. Not to her friends, not to her family, not even to herself. Romance is forbidden because it diminishes the bond between a Jedi and the Order. But..." She lifted her eyes to his. "...we're human beings, not droids."

She saw Skywalker clench his jaw, steeling his resolve. "You said we have the same problem."

"I did."

He considered her and she could feel him stretch his senses outwards, tentatively searching her feelings but too wary to go deep into her mind. "Who is it?"

"It doesn't matter who he is." Cameron replied, throwing his words back at him. "What matters is that my allegiance is to the Order. Unfortunately, I can't fight this."

"I'm not surprised. You're a healer, a peaceful conflict negotiator, not a fighter." Skywalker repeated as he always did with his back-handed compliments. "Emotions always were your strength and now they're your weakness."

"And what's your weakness then? Why can't _you_, the great Anakin Skywalker, reign in your feelings in like a gifted Jedi should?" Cameron asked, a little too pleased with herself for discovering his weakness.

"You know, for someone who's known for their empathy, you're pretty spiteful."

"And for someone who's rapidly becoming the darling of the Republic, you're hard to deal with."

They gave hard stares to each other until Anakin crossed his arms and shook his head. "What are you suggesting?"

"You know how to create a Force illusion, right?" Skywalker nodded slowly and she continued. "We could use each other as proxies."

Skywalker looked vaguely disturbed. "That sounds like a bad idea."

"Not for two fully trained Jedi Knights."

"I'm going to point out the obvious and mention that I'm not a Knight yet." Skywalker said, not bothering to hide his resentment.

Without thinking, Cameron drew upon the Force, adding a soft pressure to her words. "I was wrong when I said you weren't ready to be a Jedi Knight. You are. Everyone knows it and it's shocking that it hasn't happened yet. You can do this and it will solve your distractions. You'll be an even better Jedi after. Clear, even, focused. The perfect Jedi."

She didn't even know where the words came from, they just flowed from her mouth with remarkable ease. But she knew she was just fooling him and fooling herself too. They wouldn't be better Jedi for this, not even close. This was the worst sort of temptation, crossing a line they were forbidden to cross.  
_  
I don't care, I just want the dreams to stop._ Cameron thought. _I just want things to go back to the way they were._

Walking towards him slowly, softly, Cameron watched as Skywalker clenched his jaw, coming to the same conclusion that she was. They would share in their denial and maybe, just maybe, let go of what they had no right to want.

She closed her eyes and felt the Force around, harnessed it with her mind. When she opened her eyes, Chase was there in front of her and her heart nearly stopped.

He slowly smiled, shyly. "Hi."

"Hi." She replied, putting her arms around his neck and kissing him swiftly.

- -

She wasn't a fool; she knew just how powerful a Jedi Skywalker truly was. If he really wanted to, he could have let her suggestion bounce off his defenses like a pebble off a rancor's hide. But there was something inside of him that wanted to believe her words, something inside him that rankled with desperation and hunger. That was what fueled the illusion, so dangerously strong that they believed it with all their hearts, let it carry them away to a place of their deepest desires.

Chase's fingers were tangled in her hair, his lips covering every inch of her body as she sighed with eagerness. With one leg draped over his hip, she pressed him forward, urging towards what they both thirsted for. They moved together, crying out in sync as pleasure coursed through them and consumed their every thought. There was nothing else but the delirious passion of being together, being one. When she finally tumbled forward into esctasy, Chase followed soon after, calling her name with a shuddering groan.

Wait...

That wasn't her name. That wasn't her name at all.

The illusion was instantly broken. Cameron froze, her breath catching in her throat as she gathered the enormity of what they were doing, what they had _done_. Anakin looked back at her, naked in more ways than one. His face betrayed nothing, but his emotions and thoughts burned like a thousand suns, full of loathing and disgust.

"I was right... this was a bad idea." He announced, immediately disentangling himself from her and getting up from the bed. Within moments he was enrobed once more and fled from her room, still drowning in misplaced lust and despair.

- -

"Come on, House, relax. Isn't this place so much better than that dingy little bar you hide out in? Look, they have bright, clean windows, green gardens, wide open chambers-"

"The only thing wide open chambers mean to me is that I can be ambushed easier." House glanced around, trying to hide his unease. "You sure you didn't brainwash me into coming to the Jedi Temple with you?"

"You agreed to this deal yourself, House. You said you'd come with me as long as I forget about the fact that you still owe me eight thousand credits. You know, the eight thousand credits you said would be for counter-intelligence equipment, that you instead used to buy that personal landspeeder?"

"It was either the landspeeder or get myself a cybernetic eye that shoots lasers." House countered half-seriously. "But Thirteen didn't like the idea of me copying her style."

"She does love her lasers." Councillor Wilson quipped, looking around the grounds of the Jedi Temple. "Jedi Master Kenobi should be here soon, so behave yourself."

"If I remember correctly, _I_ behaved just fine when we last ran into Kenobi."

"Well, your personal version of reality can hardly be relied on; no one 'ran into' Kenobi but you." Wilson pointed out. "I invited Jedi emissaries to Corellia to show my support and you were supposed to be on Coruscant, doing... whatever it is you do."

"I'm saving this messed up galaxy, one evil separatist at a time." House said, the pride seeping into his voice. Despite the fact that he complained about his operations being co-opted by the Jedi, Wilson knew he relished the fact that he was doing something for the Galactic Republic. House just didn't like to show he cared.

"Well, apparently moving to another planet isn't enough to stop you from ruining my important, diplomatic duties." Wilson said with a sigh.

"Important duties my ass. Diplomats and politicians are useless." House proclaimed, his voice carrying across through the air. "It's people like me who actually get anything done out there."

"And for that, we thank you." A smooth voice answered from behind them. The men turned to see a two Jedi, a man and a woman, and Wilson could not help but notice how House suddenly perked up.

"Master Cuddy, fancy seeing you here." House replied, leaning on his cane. "I figured you'd be out in Coruscant's underbelly, harassing poor and unsuspecting folk to join the cause."

"The only folk I harass are crippled information scavengers who work with Corellian politicians and cybernetically enhanced bounty hunters." Cuddy retorted with a slight smirk, acknowledging Wilson with a polite nod and smile.

"Lucky me." House said, a glint of humour in his eyes.

Wilson took the opportunity to bow slightly to the Jedi. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Master Cuddy. House has told me a lot about you."

"None of it very flattering, I'm sure."

"Correct, unfortunately. And Master Kenobi, good to see you again."

Obi-Wan, who had been silent thus far, had a look of great amusement on his face. "Likewise."

House suddenly pointed his cane at Kenobi. "You. Tell your padawan I said thanks."

"For informing you of your Force sensitivity when you interrupted our meeting with Councillor Wilson?"

"Exactly."

Kenobi examined House for a moment before replying. "If you insist. By the way, I hear you tried to use your limited Force abilities to influence a fully trained Jedi." He gestured to Cuddy, still amused.

"I wouldn't call it 'influence'. More like 'attempt to remove her robes'."

Cuddy sighed but Wilson blanched at House's comment, stepping in front of him with an apologetic look. "Ignore him, he's an idiot with no sense of decorum."

"I understand that, Councillor Wilson. I've worked with him long enough." Cuddy admitted, smiling at Wilson kindly. "We're willing to put up with his... abrasive nature because he is of such value to our mission to protect the Republic from the Separatists."

Wilson was about to reply when he noticed Kenobi's expression had changed from casual amusement to confusion. "Master Kenobi? Is everything alright?"

Kenobi turned his head slightly, as if he were hearing something in the wind. No one spoke for a very long time; even House knew that the Jedi was picking up on something. _I knew it was a bad idea to come here. Jedi... nosy bastards. _He had no Force training but he felt like drawing a blaster, protecting himself.

Protecting his secrets.

But it was too late. Realization raced across Kenobi's face. He turned towards Cuddy, accusation in his eyes, but she didn't even flinch.

- - tbc - -


End file.
